BMWHI executive director John Merson, with MP Susan Templeman, and the Escarpment Group director Huong Nguyen.

The Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute congratulates Kindlehill School at Wentworth Falls and the Escarpment Group for their significant achievement in Low Carbon Living.

Institute executive director Dr John Merson announced Kindlehill School and the Escarpment Group as winners of the inaugural Low Carbon Living achievement awards on 22 March at Scenic World.

Dr Merson commended the Escarpment Group for achieving a very significant 26% reduction in carbon usage in their waste management sector.

He said the Escarpment Group’s attention to better management of waste had saved around 200 tons per annum of carbon going into the environment.

Dr Merson also commended Kindlehill principal Lynn Daniels for successfully embedding a low carbon ethos in the fabric of the school.

Ms Daniels said the Low Carbon Living program works best when people collaborate.

“Add a social element to build goodwill and to establish a sense of common purpose. Celebrate what you are already doing, and set achievable goals for the next step. Tell the transforming story of your organisation toward low carbon,” Ms Daniels said.

The federal member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, presented Escarpment Group director, Huong Nguyen with the Low Carbon Living achievement award.

After the Escarpment presentation, the NSW member for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, presented Ms Daniels with Kindlehill School’s Low Carbon Living achievement award.

The presentations took place as part of the Low Carbon Living national program launch at Scenic World on 22 March. More than 80 local businesses were represented at the launch.

“When we last got together 18 months ago to launch the Low Carbon Living, Blue Mountains program at Lillianfels, we had 27 members who were part of our pilot program. Now our membership is well over 80 and growing.

“This is due in large part to the concern many of you share about the very real threat that climate change poses for quality of life our children will face, and the impact it will also have on the extraordinary environment we have the privilege to live in.”

Dr Merson welcomed the NSW Southern Highlands as the newest recruit into the Low Carbon Living program, and he announced Ecotourism Australia will partner with the Institute in the program's national rollout.

Dr Merson said research undertaken as part of the LCL program shows 82% of visitors and 91% of residents would choose a local business that has made an effort to reduce its carbon footprint.

The research also found 50% of visitors would choose a low carbon destination over one not known for reducing its carbon impact.

The Low Carbon Living program encourages hotels, cafes, restaurants, tourism operators, schools and community organisations to lower their carbon footprint by reducing waste, energy consumption and water use. More information at www.bmwhi.org

HIGH ACHIEVEMENTS AWARDS

Huong Nguyen - Director of the Escarpment Group

The Escarpment Group has taken significant steps to reduce waste by installing a macerator for organic waste, which is used as direct injection compost. This provides substantial economic benefits and reduces landfill, labour and transport costs. It also provides significant environmental benefits, by reducing the group’s carbon footprint by over 200t CO2-e/year.

Lynn Daniels – Principle of Kindlehill School

Kindlehill School has embedded a low carbon ethos in the fabric of the school, through the use of low carbon materials, renewable energy generation, rainwater harvesting, food production and waste minimisation. The school imbues its students with holistic sustainable practices, and a philosophy essential for the future ecological wellbeing of the planet.